before & after: painted dresser

There’s painted furniture, and then there’s painted furniture — pieces covered in handmade patterns that totally transform the original. This Ikat buffet by Kim Frazier is a great example of what handmade designs can add. I love the imperfections and the rich color palette Kim chose. Great job, Kim! — Kate

Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)

Time: 4.5 days

Cost: free (supplies on hand)

Basic Steps: Before I could paint the doors of the cabinet, I needed to chip off all of the old wood veneer. Because in certain places it was glued on fairly well, this was the most labor-intensive part of the project. I chipped off all of the old veneer and sanded the piece down to an even surface. Then I removed all of the brass hinges and hardware for a thorough polishing and filled any nicks or scratches with wood filler. After applying two even coats of primer, I painted the entire piece one solid color— for me this was an inky peacock blue by Martha Stewart called Plumage.

To create the Ikat print, I taped off an even diamond pattern all over the piece and filled in the diamonds with creme paint. Then I peeled off the tape and begin feathering the edges of the diamonds with more creme paint and a dry brush to achieve an Ikat look. Once all of the creme paint was dry, I painted the centers of the diamonds with more blue paint, a bright red and a pale pink for visual interest. Lastly, I sealed with poly sealer and added new vintage brass hardware to add visual interest to the piece.

My advice for people trying to achieve a similar look is to be patient — rushing into a design will often result in further refinishing. With patterns as busy as these, I often let ideas marinate for a few days before I act on anything. Also, trust your instinct. If you can’t get a color combination or pattern out of your head for a few days, even if it makes you nervous, it’s a sign that it just might be the right choice for you and for the particular piece. And don’t be afraid to take risks. I always say, why let your furniture live an ordinary existence if it has the opportunity for greatness? — Kim

i strongly disagree with some of the negative commentary. the “before” piece was something that would be easily missed. what she’s done has taken the desk to a totally new playing field where it will be the center of attention. it shows an enormous amount of talent and an eye for detail. i love it!

I’d have to agree with Connie. I’ve redone many old pieces of furniture with paint and other delights but only when the piece of furniture was so old and tired that only major reconstructive surgery or a transplant would have helped them. This antique that was destroyed was beautiful as is and never should have been touched.

Thank you so much for all of your glowing support and equally important constructive criticism!

I feel like I should say a few things here: This piece is actually not an antique- many people use this term loosely, but it most certainly was merely vintage, and unfortunately not in fabulous condition. The “before” pic does not do enough injustice- the incredibly tacky faux wood veneer on the doors was peeling off, and the piece was covered with deep nicks and scratches. It was certainly not a family heirloom- I found it for a few dollars on Craigslist, and it was screaming for some attention!

Sure, I could have stripped and sanded the whole piece down, and stained it to reflect an age-appropriate finish, however, that’s just not me, that is not what I’m all about.

To me, furniture is art. The furniture is my canvas, and I wanted to give it a new life, completely unlike any that it would have lived previously. Yes, most definitely one day I, or one of my clients who purchase the piece will tire of the ikat print. At that time, I’ll simply repaint and reincarnate it again- that is the beauty and the challenge of impermanence, you know. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion- I appreciate every person who has shared their own, this is humbly mine.

And the female genitalia comments are fantastic- Georgia O’Keefe did make an illustrious career for herself out of painting “vagina-like” flowers- to each their own!

that was probably one of the best responses to a before & after critique i’ve ever read. thanks for your honest, being open-minded about people’s feedback, and giving me another example of why it’s always great to respond with class.

“Sure, I could have stripped and sanded the whole piece down, and stained it to reflect an age-appropriate finish, however, that’s just not me, that is not what I’m all about.”

Even to those who do not care for the design (which I happen to love – kim, you rock!), the piece has not been “ruined” or “destroyed”. The beauty of furniture is being able to transform it to fit into our living spaces – it is there to be useful or just make you happy! If the owner of this piece walks into their home, sees it, and smiles, then it was a success!

I think is beautiful, always nice to see someone else who sees furniture for what it could be rather than what it is. And as far as the hate comments go, its funny to see them take the time out of their day to comment on something they dislike, so add this comment to the positive ones. beautiful work

Couldn’t you even use scrapbook paper in a design you like and modge podge it to the front panels? I know there are some really great scrapbook patterns and the added perfection of laser printed designs would give it an expensive look. Love the idea of transforming furniture, I believe that is one of the reasons good furniture is made to last so long, so that each owner can enjoy them the way they like :)

Design*Sponge reserves the right to restrict comments that do not contribute constructively to the conversation at hand, contain profanity, personal attacks, hate speech or seek to promote a personal or unrelated business. Our goal is to create a safe space where everyone (commenters, subjects of posts and moderators) feels comfortable to speak. Please treat others the way you would like to be treated and be willing to take responsibility for the impact your words may have on others. Disagreement, differences of opinion and heated discussion are welcome, but comments that do not seek to have a mature and constructive dialogue will not be published. We moderate all comments with great care and do not delete any lightly. Please note that our team (writers, moderators and guests) deserve the same right to speak and respond as you do, and your comments may be responded to or disagreed with. These guidelines help us maintain a safe space and work toward our goal of connecting with and learning from each other.